Stormstar's Apprentice
by Brightfur
Summary: Stormpaw is an impatient but fiercely loyal warrior.However,Thunderclan's leader is worried that her temper will make her bitter and ultimately destroy the clans!In a desperate attempt to quench the fire in Stormpaw,she pairs her up with an unlikely o late, she realizes that Stormpaw's fire is what will SAVE the clans,and without it,the clans are doomed.
1. Allegiances

**My Warriors Story**

**Stormstar's Apprentice **

**Allegiances**

**Thunderclan**

**Leader: Ivystar**-old black she-cat with

blue eyes and a gray muzzle, oldest cat

in Thunderclan

**Deputy: Whiteflame**-white tom with ginger

patches and amber eyes

apprentice, **Birchpaw**

**Medicine Cat: Pebbleshade**-white tom with

gray patches and a scarred pelt

apprentice, **Leafshade**

**Warriors:**

**Cloudsnow**-black tom with white spots

and a white belly

**Snowyspots-** black tom with white

flecks and one white paw

**Stormystripe**- gray tom with black stripes

apprentice, **Oakpaw**

**Oakshade**- brown tabby tom with green eyes

apprentice, **Pheasantpaw**

**Rosewhisker**-light brown she-cat with white

patches and one white paw

**Sunspeck**- golden she-cat with white belly and

white spots `

apprentice, **Lionpaw**

**Cloudfall**- pure white tom with light green eyes

apprentice, **Fawnpaw**

**Leafyfoot**- tortoise-shell-and-white tom with one

black foot

**Mistystorm**-silver tabby she-cat with icy blue

eyes

apprentice, **Brindlepaw**

**Smallflame**- small cream-colored tom with dark

brown eyes

**Thunderjaw**- large golden tabby tom with a large

square jaw and green eyes

apprentice, **Blackpaw**

**Flintstorm**- black tom with white belly and dark

blue eyes

**Fallingfoot**- gray tom with white stripes and icy

blue eyes

apprentice, **Dewpaw**

**Fallstream**- pure black she-cat with amber

eyes

**Stagfoot**- light brown tom with white belly

apprentice, **Tallpaw**

**Leapfall**- black she-cat with long legs and

three white paws

**Springfoot**- black and white she-cat with with

large gray paws

apprentice, **Briarpaw**

**Leopardwing**- golden she-cat with unusual

black spots

**Icyberry**- white tom with gray stripes

**Apprentices:**

**Lionpaw**-large golden tabby tom

**Dewpaw**- gray tabby tom with black belly

**Blackpaw**- white tom with a black and gray

patched pelt

**Birchpaw-** silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Fawnpaw**- pretty brown she-cat with white

belly and green eyes

**Oakpaw**- tabby tom with white tail-tip

and belly

**Pheasantpaw**- gray tom with a black and

white patched pelt

**Tallpaw**- long legged black and white tom

with amber eyes

**Brindlepaw**- light brown tabby she-cat

with green eyes

**Briarpaw**- dark brown tabby she-cat with

green eyes

**Queens: **

**Rainberry**- silver she-cat with ginger patches

mother of Cloudsnow's kits, Bluekit(silver

she-cat with white belly), Stormkit(smoke colored

she-cat with icy, light blue eyes)Hollykit(black

and white she-cat)and Icekit(white she-cat

with black and gray patches and light blue eyes)

**Flameleaf**-tortoiseshell she-cat with bright

green eyes mother to Whiteflame's kits

Sweetkit(tortoiseshell she-cat)Almondkit(red

she-cat with white stripes)and Firekit(pure

red she-cat with green eyes)

**Jade-eye**-white she-cat with jade green

eyes mother of Smallflame's kits Ashkit(gray

tom with white belly)Emberkit(cream

colored tom with jade green eyes)and

Blazekit(cream colored tom with ginger

patches and light green eyes)

**Whisperfall**-black she-cat with light blue eyes,

expecting Stagfoot's kits

**Wingfeather**-ginger she-cat with white

patches expecting Thunderjaw's kits

**Elders:**

**Flowerfall**-tortoiseshell-and- white she-cat

**Finchfall**-golden tom with amber eyes

**Heatherheart**-gray she-cat with yellow

eyes

**Shadowclan**

**Leader:Lighteningstar-**cream

colored tom with bright yellow eyes

**Deputy:Hollyheart-**black she-cat

with green eyes

**Medicine Cat:Fawnspots-**light

brown tom with white spots

**Warriors:**

**Pinefall-**brown tabby tom with

green eyes

**Nutheart- **pale brown tabby tom with

green eyes

apprentice, **Fangpaw**

**Pitfur-**dark gray tom with hollow blue

eyes and a scar on his right flank

**Firpelt**-ginger tom with white patches

and green eyes

apprentice, **Twistpaw**

**Tigerstripe- **orange tabby with black

stripes, like a tiger

**Jaggedfur-** gray tom with ruffled

and jagged fur

apprentice, **Rumblepaw**

**Elmleaf-** big, sturdy white tom with

green eyes

**Larchleaf**-tortoise-shell-and-white she-cat

with brown eyes

apprentice, **Plumpaw**

**Jaybreeze-**gray she-cat with white

spots

apprentice, **Bushpaw**

**Autumn-**bright ginger she-cat with

red, brown, and gold spots, formerly

a rogue

**Thornpelt-**brown tabby tom

**Mousetail-**brown tabby she-cat

**Queens:**

**Fernheart-**light gray she-cat with

white stripes mother to Jaggedfur's kits

Fogkit, Starlingkit, Beetlekit

**Icestorm-**white she-cat with black

and gray spots expecting Firpelt's kits

**Elders:**

**Ferntuft-**white she-cat with spiky fu**r**

**Snowhawk-**white tom with ginger

patches and amber eyes

**Windclan**

**Leader:Hawkstar**-pale brown tabby tom

with green eyes

**Deputy:Rainwillow-** white she-cat with

dreary blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:Fawnspots-**light brown

tom with white spots

**Warriors:**

**Fieldspring-**golden tom with white

and white ginger patches

**Warmbreeze- **gray she-cat with ginger

patches

apprentice, **Cloudpaw**

**Russetwind-**ginger she-cat with white

patches and blue eyes

**Blackberry-**black tom with ginger

patches and amber eyes

apprentice, **Horsepaw**

**Mangotail-**orange tom with a white

tail and green eyes

apprentice**,Morningpaw**

**Dawnmist**-light ginger she-cat

with dark ginger spots

**Lilystorm**-tortoiseshell tom with

white spots

**Echofall**-gray tabby tom with

yellow eyes

**Cliffhawk-** light brown tabby tom

**Gorgeleap-**dark brown tabby tom

apprentice, **Tallpaw**

**Icywhisker**-gray tabby tom

**Queens**

**Autumnmoon-**pale gold she-cat with

white belly expecting Blackberry's

kits

**Freezelight-**light gray she cat with

black spots expecting Lilystorm's

kits

**Sunred-**ginger she-cat with red

patches expecting Fieldspring's

kits

**Riverclan**

**Leader:Emeraldstar-**sturdy white

tom with emerald green eyes

**Deputy:Swiftflow-**black she-cat with

white and gray spots

**Medicine Cat:Snowspeckle- **white

she-cat with gray speckles

apprentice, **Riverflow**

**Warriors:**

**Morningfrost-**blue-gray tom

with light blue eyes

apprentice,**Silverpaw **

**Petalstream-t**ortoiseshell- and-white

she-cat with yellow eyes

**Stonestep-**gray tabby tom with

amber eyes

apprentice**,Slippaw**

**Silverripple-**silver tabby she-cat with

white paw and belly

**Mosslight-**pale ginger she-cat with

light green eyes

**Starlingfeather-**dark ginger tom

with odd wavy white marks on flank

and forehead

apprentice**,Lapwingpaw**

**Swishwillow-**gray and white she-cat

**Floodstorm-**white tom with gray

paws

**Tidepool-**black and white tom with

blue eyes

apprentice,**Cranepaw**

**Icefur-**black tom with ice-blue eyes

**Queens:**

**Windspirit-**white and gray she-cat

expecting Stonestep's kits

**Elders:**

**Blossomnose-**white and ginger

she cat with a gray muzzle

**Clovermist-**gray she-cat with

green eyes

**Cats Outside of the Clans**

**Shadowtooth-**black tom with

green eyes and long teeth

**Howl-**gray tom with black eyes


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Touch your nose to the Starstream, Ivyheart,"the medicine cat, Pebbleshade mewed. Ivyheart nodded and crouched to touch the Moonpool. When she felt the cool touch of rock she closed her eyes and was whisked away into cold blackness, feeling like a cat made of ice.

When she opened her eyes she saw a clearing with tall trees.

"Where am I?" she breathed in wonder as the stars began to fall towards her.

"You're in Starclan Ivyheart," a cat mewed behind her

"Who are you?" she asked as the stars turned to cats.

"We are Starclan" the warrior ancestors mewed. A cat that Ivyheart didn't recognize stepped forward from the crowds of ancient clan cats.

"I am called Snowpeak. I give you a life of joy so that you may always see joy in your life even at the clan's darkest times," the white tom said as he touched her nose with his. A bolt of searing pain when through her body but also a feeling of happiness when it had faded. Another cat stepped forward.

"Twigpelt! Oh I thought I would never see you again!" she said as she padded forward to greet her mate who had died of greencough.

"Ivyheart! I'm so happy to see you! I give you a life of love so that you will protect your clanmates with all the love of a mother," he mewed.

Instead of dreading the pain that came, she relished the feeling of the new life that her mate had given.

When he pulled away to join Snowpeak she saw that the next cat was Windclan's former leader, Fawnstar.

"I knew you had a great destiny the moment I laid eyes on you at your first gathering as a warrior. I now give you a life for faith and hope for your warrior ancestors. With this gift you will never feel alone," the pretty light brown she-cat mewed, touching her nose to Ivyheart's. Instead of pain she felt the touch of other pelts walking beside her in Thunderclan's forest. Her warrior ancestors! She truly felt that Fawnstar was right, and that she would always have her ancestors for guidance. The next cat was another cat that she did not know.

"I am Spirit. I was not a warrior but I believed. I knew your father well. I give you a life for knowledge. Use this gift to gain victory, but I also give you this gift so that you may understand our signs when you need to most." Ivyheart felt a sense of knowing as he gave her a fourth life. The fifth cat was her mother, Lightflower.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered, "I give you a life of energy so you can lead your clan efficiently and and for many moons to come."She touched her nose to Ivyheart's. Another bolt of pain went through her as her exhaustion increased.

The next cat was her father, Redblaze. "I give you a life for fairness so that your judgement will never be swayed or clouded." As their noses made contact she braced herself for pain. She felt pain, but her head also felt clearer than it had ever been with nothing to distract her father joined the other five cats she saw that the next cat was her son, Stormkit, that died when he suffered of greencough.

"I give you a life for fun, so that your cats can have fun even when they do the hardest tasks and so clan life never gets dull!" Ivyheart had to bend down to touch noses with the felt a light, humorous feeling that she had not felt before. She almost collapsed as the tiny warrior pulled away. The tom that greeted her next was her mentor, Padthistle.

"I give you a life for strength so that you are capable of defeating any enemy," he meowed. Again she felt lightning go through her but this time she had the strength to bear it. The ninth cat was Thunderclan's former leader, Sunnystar. The golden tom walked through the rows of their warrior ancestors.

"I give you a life for generosity so you can share and never make the wrong decision from selfishness." For the ninth time she felt weak from pain and ready to explode of the fullness she felt from receiving her nine lives. Sunnystar stepped back in line with the other cats that had given her lives as they called her by her new name,Ivystar.

"Ivystar! Ivystar! Ivystar!"

"Thank you for the lives and I promise to be the best leader I can be for Thunderclan!" she yowled. As the starclan cats left the clearing, Ivystar heard a voice behind her It is time for you to go back to your clan, Ivystar," said Pebbleshade."Okay, I'm ready."

"Wait!" hissed a cat in the shadow of a bramble bush. Ivystar whipped around to see who was talking to her."Who are you?"she asked, seeing a ginger tom.

"I am Thunderclan's medicine cat from many seasons ago. My name is Bramblewhisker. I have a warning from Starclan. A storm from cloud and rain will come. Do not fear the storm when it comes. Trust it, trust me, and remember what I have told you," he meowed.

"But storms can set the forest on fire!" Ivystar burst out, baffled.

"Not all fire is bad," he hissed, fading.


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Stormkit ran over to her littermate, Bluekit. She batted a moss ball over to her. " Hollykit's in the middle! She says she likes to try to steal the ball but I think she's just trying to get Icekit to join. She's so shy and quiet."

"Yeah, I wonder if we could get her to on an adventure?"

"What do you mean an 'adventure' Bluekit?" squeaked Hollykit bounding up to her sisters.

"I mean go outside of camp! Duh!" she mewed, pushing her littermate over with gentle shove.

"Let's do it! Hey! Icekit!"

"What?" she squeaked.

"Sshh! We're going on an adventure outside the camp!" Bluekit meowed excitedly.

"I don't know, what if we get caught? Or lost?"

"Oh come on Icekit! It'll be fun!" Stormkit persuaded her.

"Okay," she mewed a little reluctant. As they headed through a tiny gap in the protective walls of their camp, they saw Almondkit following them.

"What are you doing Almondkit?" Stormkit hissed.

"Following you," she mewed defiantly.

"Go back to the nursery Almondkit!" Hollykit meowed.

"Not until I find out what your up to!" she squeaked excitedly.

"We're not telling you!" Bluekit teased.

"Then I'll keep following you!" she argued.

"Fine. We're going… nowhere! We're just patrolling the outside edge of the camp boundaries," Stormkit mewed with a wink to her littermates.

"Are you now?" All five kits whipped around at the unexpected cat.

"Who are you?" asked Icekit.

"Yeah, you smell funny!" Hollykit squeaked.

"I'm your worst nightmare!" she hissed. Stormkit's blood ran cold when she realized who the cat was. She peeped over his shoulder. Shadowclan warriors!

"Shadowclan in the camp!" she yowled as loud as she could.

"Run!" she called to the other kits as she bolted away, the other kits behind her.

"Go to the nursery!" she hissed, turning to the Highledge.

"Ivystar!" she squeaked.

"Wha?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Shadowclan is invading!" Ivystar instantly shot out of her den and yowled,"Wake up!" She turned back to Stormkit.

"Stay in my den," she meowed softly. " That's an order!" she added gently seeing Stormkit open her mouth to protest. Stormkit peeped out of the old leader's den. Two Shadowclan cats were sitting below the Highledge. Ivystar was talking to them. Without warning one of them yowled, "Shadowclan, attack!"

The clearing was overrun with Shadowclan cats. Wrestling, clawing cats were everywhere. Stormkit backed away, appalled at the battle.

Suddenly a large apprentice jumped in front of her.

"This will be an easy fight!" she hissed. She dived forward but Stormkit dodged, being the smaller, more agile one of the two. While the apprentice was wrong-footed she darted forward and hopped on her back. The apprentice rolled, squishing Stormkit. Stormkit dug her tiny claws in harder, determined not to let go.

She knew that the apprentice was bigger, stronger, and more experienced that her. She realized that her only advantage was being more nimble than her.

The apprentice rolled over again and shook her off. Stormkit rolled in the sand. Struggling to get up with the sand shifting beneath her paws, she thought if the sand was loose, then why not give the apprentice something to think about while she recovered?

She forced herself to look as if she had given up. The apprentice took the bait.

When she was near enough Stormkit jumped to her paws and threw sand in her opponents eyes. Stormkit shoved her over the edge of the Highledge while the apprentice tried to paw the sand from her eyes.

Gasping for breath from the effort it took to push the apprentice off the Highledge, Stormkit looked around the clearing at the fighting cats. With a gasp she saw her sister Hollykit in the fray.

"Hollykit!" she yowled running over to her sister.

"What are you doing out here!" Stormkit hissed to her sister.

"I'm helping Leafshade treat injuries!" she squeaked with excitement.

"Where's Pebbleshade?" Stormkit asked. Hollykit's face suddenly turned grim.

"Pebbleshade is dead," she mewed.

"I really wanted to become Leafshade's apprentice, and she said it was never too soon to start. That's why I'm out here. I'm finding the warriors in the worst condition," she added with more enthusiasm.

"I'll help you! We can guide them to the Leafshade's den where she can treat them!" Stormkit meowed, eager to help in any way.

Hollykit sighed.

"Okay, I'll let you help," she mewed. As soon as the words were out of her mouth she dodged a couple of fighting cats that had rolled to where they had been standing.

" Follow me!" she hissed in her sister's ear. As they raced through the mass of fighting cats, they heard a cat yowl," ENOUGH!" It was the Thunderclan deputy, Whiteflame. Immediately all the fighting cats broke apart at his call.

"Hollyheart! Why have you attacked us like this?"

"Our clan is missing kits!" she spat.

"It was Thunderclan scent that mingled with where the kits were last seen!"

"You lie! We haven't touched your precious kits!" he snarled.

"Get out of here!" he growled.

"Not without our kits!" sje argued.

"I said GET OUT!" he yowled.

"Shadowclan, retreat!" Hollyheart yowled seeing the look of pure rage upon the Thunderclan deputy's face.

They raced out the camp entrance. As they left, Hollyheart hissed, " You can't keep them forever! We will get our kits back!"

"Get out of here, you fox-hearted cowards!" hissed a black and white tom called Cloudsnow. A cat that just happened to be her father. With a last glance of hate, the Shadowclan cats raced out of the camp.

"Follow them, Snowyspots, take Oakshade, Rosewhisker, Pheasantpaw, Sunspeck, Mistystorm, Brindlepaw, Leapfall, Springfoot, and Briarpaw. Now go! Before the trail is lost!" Whiteflame ordered. Slowly, Hollykit walked up to Whiteflame.

"What is it, little one?" he asked softly. Hollykit whispered something in his ear.

"Rosewhisker and Leapfall are injured," he announced.

"Leopardwing and Icyberry will go instead," he meowed from the base of the Highledge.

"Go!" he added.

"Where's Ivystar?" Stormkit asked. Whiteflame froze.

"Here I am," she hissed dragging herself out of the relaxed.

"I hadn't seen you in the battle. I was worried there for a second that you had lost a life. You are getting down there," he mewed.

"It's because I'm old, Whiteflame," meowed Ivystar.

"Nonsense! You have plenty of seasons in you yet. That is _not_ what I meant!" he mewed.

"Whiteflame, I'm the oldest cat in the clan! I'm the eldest leader and possibly the oldest cat in _all_ of the clans. Sometimes, we just have to face the truth however much we don't want to, and the truth is, I'm on my last life." Whiteflame's mouth hung open.

"Go assess what we have for injuries," she mewed after seeing how shocked he was.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" called Ivystar.

It had been three moons since Shadowclan had accused Thunderclan of stealing their kits. The clan had grieved for Pebbleshade, but the clan had been recovering well.

"Bluekit, Stormkit, Hollykit, Icekit, come forward." Stormkit felt excitement run through as she realized what was happening.

"These kits are now six moons old. Stormkit, Bluekit, Hollykit,Icekit from this moment on, until you receive your warrior names, these apprentices shall be known as Stormpaw, Bluepaw, Hollypaw, and Icepaw.

"Stormpaw,your mentor will be Dewfoot. Dewfoot, this is your first apprentice, share your intelligence and humor with her. Bluepaw, your mentor will be Cloudsnow. Cloudsnow, share your skill and loyalty with this apprentice. Icepaw, your mentor will be Leafyfoot. Leafyfoot, this is your first apprentice, share your speed and technique with her," she paused and took a breath before she continued.

"We all grieve for Pebbleshade. He was a loyal, talented, and kind medicine cat. Now that he is gone, the place of medicine cat apprentice is open. Hollypaw, do you accept the post of medicine cat apprentice offered to you by Leafshade?"

"I do," she mewed.

"Then your mentor will be Leafshade," she paused while the clan cheered for their clanmates.

"Bluepaw, Stormpaw, Icepaw, Hollypaw!"

As the cheers from the clan died down, she mewed, "There is one more announcement to be made. Oakshade?" Ivystar stepped back as the tabby warrior leaped onto the Highledge.

"Sunspeck is having kits!" he yowled happily. At this murmurs were spreading through the clan. Seeing that the clan was breaking up, Ivystar yowled,"The meeting is over. Return to your duties." As she leaped from the highledge, Stormpaw found herself alongside two of the older apprentices that had been her friends before they moved to the apprentices den.

"Stormpaw! That's a great name! I wonder what your warrior name will be? Come on! We'll show you the best places in the apprentices den!" squeaked Brindlepaw who was hurrying towards the apprentices den.

Stormpaw followed her eagerly while her littermates were receiving similar treatment.

In the apprentices den, Brindlepaw and Briarpaw were already scraping together a squishy moss nest for her.

"Thanks! I'll go gather some more moss," she mewed, starting to walk out of the den.

"That's not necessary. We have a secret stash of extra, super-soft moss!" Briarpaw meowed, her voice muffled as she dug out some more moss from their stash.

"Stormpaw! We're going on patrol!"

"I have to go," she mewed to the two apprentices.

"See you later!" they called as she raced out of the den.

"I see that you were finding a nest, Stormpaw," mewed Dewfoot.

"Yup,it looks really comfy!" she mewed, her excitement dying down now that she had a nest and a mentor.

"I can't wait to sleep in it!"

"Well then, if you can't wait to sleep, we'll have to get to work so you _can_ sleep," he mewed, laughter glittering in his eyes.

"So where are we going to go first?" Stormpaw mewed excitedly.

"I think that you should know where everything is in our territory," he decided.

"Like the border with Shadowclan and Windclan?" she asked with curiosity edging her mew.

"Yes, but I was thinking inside the border. That way there's not much chance that you will find challenges on the border before you're ready for them. If we meet other clan cats, well let's just not think about that right now," he murmured.

"What's wrong? You don't seem very excited for just being made a mentor for the first time," she commented.

"It's nothing. Come on. Let's go get something done and not sit here gossiping all days like a couple of sparrows," he joked returning to his usual humor. For the first time, Stormpaw went outside of the camp.

She gazed with her sharp blue eyes at the sunlight that drifted through the bright green leaves of the forest, creating delicately jagged patterns across the forest floor. There were oak trees, maple trees, birch trees, and elm trees. There was brambles and bracken, ferns and moss, rocks and roots, scattered throughout the consistent trees.

"Where are we going first?" she asked.

"The Moss Trees," he mewed after thinking for a second.

"Okay," she mewed as she sniffed the air.

"Where is it?" she mewed, looking back at her mentor.

"This way," he mewed surprised at her lack of enthusiasm. As he started leading the way through the ferns to a well worn path, Stormpaw sniffed the air again. Rabbit! she thought, recognizing the smell from the fresh kill pile in the clearing. She ran as silently as she could up to Dewfoot. "I smell rabbit!" she hissed at him.

"Rabbits are rare in the forest. I'll show you how to catch one," he whispered back,sniffing the air to pin-point the rabbit. He flicked his tail toward a holly bush about two foxlengths away.

"It's in that bush. Go hide in the bracken over there and watch me," he mewed quietly. Stormpaw backed into the bracken like her mentor had told her.

He lifted his head to see which way the wind was blowing, then went downwind of the rabbit and waited quietly while the rabbit hopped slowly out of the bush, unaware that it was being hunted.

The rabbit was now a foxlegth from the bush. Dewfoot slowly crept forward, quiet as a mouse. about two tail-lenghs away from his prey, the rabbit sensed him and started hopping back to the hole. Dewfoot got there first. He leaped over the rabbit blocking it's burrow and lunged in the same heartbeat. The rabbit was fresh-kill. Stormpaw gazed with curiosity as her mentor picked up the dead rabbit.

"That, is how you hunt a rabbit. First,find it's burrow. That way you can know which way it will run and you can block it before it gets there. Second, make sure you're downwind of the rabbit so it can't smell you. If it can smell you, then it won't come out. Then wait until the rabbit is all the way out. Otherwise it can easily retreat back to it's hole before you can move a you stalk a rabbit, be quiet and light on your paws. Do you know why?"

"Because it can hear you?" she guessed.

"Yes. You also want to be light on your paws so you don't crunch any leaves in the fall," he meowed. "Come on. I still need to take you to Moss Trees, but I'll show you what to do with the rabbit first.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Well, then, I think its around time that you and I brought _something _back for the freshkill pile," He joked quietly. "Now, go get the rabbit before someother cat does!"

"Okay. What about the thrush I caught?" Stormpaw meowed.

"I'll get it," her mentor told her. Stormpaw gave him an odd look, like she knew that something was wrong.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he meowed smiling down at her.

"It's getting late. We should be back to the clan by now," she commented.

"You're right. Talking won't feed the clan," he agreed. Stormpaw found the rabbit and they were soon walking back to the clan side by side after a successful day of practicing hunting.

Later that night, when Stormpaw was thinking about the day before she went to sleep, she thought of how odd her mentor had acted when she had mentioned the Shadowclan border. She knew of the battle with Shadowclan when Pebbleshade had been killed, but she had been a kit and hadn't been very afraid.

Suddenly, Briarpaw's and Brindlepaw's littermate Tallpaw crawled through the entrance to the den. He saw that she was awake and mewed, "Did I wake you?"

"No. I was just thinking about my first day as an apprentice. Why are you back so late?" she replied.

"My mentor has me out for night training. I think that every apprentice thinks about their first day before they go to sleep. I did," he answered. Stormpaw was quiet for a minute.

"Did you go to the Starstream yet?" she asked, curious about the older apprentice.

"Yes. I got to share dreams with Starclan," he mewed, his eyes filled with wonder at the memory.

"What was it like?" Stormpaw questioned. She liked this cat.

"It was amazing. The Starstream was so pretty in the moonlight that filtered through the trees," he answered.

As the night went on, they talked about clan life, how funny Dewfoot was, gatherings at Mountain Rock, and they became friends.

They talked until the moon started to sink into the horizon.

"We should sleep," Tallpaw whispered.

"I know. Goodnight," she meowed in a hushed whisper to her newfound friend.

"Goodnight," he replied.

Though Stormpaw knew she should sleep, she couldn't stop thinking about all the things they had talked about. She finally drifted off to sleep and hour before the dawn patrol left.

Dewfoot went out by himself after Stormpaw had gone to her new nest. He wanted to think about all that had happened.

It made him curious the way Stormpaw seemed to know that he was troubled.

He started think of how Shadowclan had attacked them before and how- _no. Don't think about that, _he told himself, trying to keep from yowling out loud at the pain Shadowclan had caused him.

It had scared him how cats could be so cruel. It had also hurt more than he would ever let anyone think.

He never wanted to be thought of as cruel and vicious so he enlightened the clan with his humor, which also let him forget the horrors of that night and be free of the fear.

He wondered again about his apprentice. Had Ivystar made him her mentor for a reason? Did she see Stormpaw's talent for reading other cat's feelings? Did Ivystar know that something haunted him every night? Or was there some other dark reason she had given her to him to mentor?

Sleepy as he was, he didn't want to sleep, not yet. He thought of all the things that had went well today to chase his dark mood away. He wanted to be free of his horrible past. He slipped into dreams on the shore of the river thinking about how well Stormpaw had fought and how strong she was already.

Ivystar coughed. It would be leaf-fall soon. Leaf-fall was not a good time to raise apprentices or kits. The hunger meant that other clans would try to steal prey and everyone would be on edge.

She thought of how bitter Stormpaw had been to the younger, more energetic kits. A cat that was already so easily annoyed and so strong and ambitious could easily go bad.

Ivystar went into a coughing fit. Then she staggered to Leafshade's den. If she were going to be ill, it was best she was treated sooner rather than later.

Whiteflame was still young and had a hot head. He would need more time before he was ready to be a leader

That night Stormpaw dreamed of a storm. Thunder rumbled above, and lightning flashed. In one great blast, the forest was suddenly on fire. Smoke filled the air, and words filled her head.

"When the time comes, storm from rain and cloud shall save the forest with it's everlasting blaze."

Stormpaw jerked awake. Smoke! She heard the rumble of thunder and in one horrifying moment, she imagined the flash of lightning from her dream.

Terror and shock went through her like electricity. She was rooted to the spot in terror. As flames started to engulf the forest, she found her head and yowled as loud as she could, letting all her fear, shock, and anger fill it in a desperate cry of warning.

"Wake up! Fire in the camp!"

Ivystar looked out of the Medicine Cat's den. She growled in rage. Bramblewhisker had lied to her! He said that storm would save the clan, and now it looked like it would destroy it! she thought in despair.

When she saw the apprentice standing there, yowling to clan with fear and anger in her voice, she understood. It was not a real storm that would save the clan. The child of Rainberry and Cloudsnow, Stormpaw!


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Stormpaw yowled louder than Lionclan, determined to warn her clanmates. They must live! Thunderclan must go on!

Privately in her mind she thought, _if my dream was right, then it _is _my duty to save my clan,_ and yowled again.

By now all cats were in the clearing, puzzling looks on their faces.

Stormpaw might have giggled if the situation had not been so serious.

"There's fire in the forest! We are not safe in our camp! Where's Ivystar?" she yowled, surprised that Ivystar had not yet shown up.

Ivystar was not there because she was full of shock and curiosity. Of all cats, why Stormpaw? What was that had the attention of the cats of starclan?

At that moment, she heard the clan calling for her. She was the leader of this clan! She was supposed to lead them! Not an apprentice that hadn't even trained for a moon yet! she thought, angry with herself for getting caught in her thoughts when her clan needed her.

"Follow me!" she yowled.

"Ivystar! Let me lead the clan to safety," Whiteflame called.

"We have to get out of the hollow! We don't have time to think about this!" Ivystar hissed at him.

"Okay. Sorry, you're right. I'll help any that fall behind." Ivystar gave him a curious look, wondering why he had wanted to lead the clan.

"This way!" she called, leading the clan out the barrier of brambles and bracken.

It suddenly occurred to her why Whiteflame had wanted to lead the clan. She was on her last life!

While she had been thinking, she failed to notice a falling tree. She looked up in time to see a fiery branch falling towards her.

Suddenly a cat knocked her sideways. Stormpaw had thrown herself at her when she saw the tree falling with Ivystar under it. Stormpaw just managed to avoid getting crushed but had still gotten horribly burnt.

Ivystar to had not escaped the falling tree entirely. She had been caught by the end of the burning branch.

Whiteflame was there in an instant. They were all on the far side of the tree, all the clan were trapped on the other side of it.

Leafshade, having always been the most nimble cat of her litter, had dared to take the risk of jumping the felled tree.

"There's something I have to tell you," she coughed, wheezing from the smoke.

"Don't try to talk,Ivystar," Leafshade whispered in her ear.

"I'll talk if I want to," Ivystar said.

"Fine," Leafshade meowed grumpily, clearly not happy that she couldn't argue with her leader.

"Anyway, when I received my nine lives, I received a warning from Starclan-"

Whiteflame gasped.

"You never told me that!" he growled.

"Well I'm telling you now. That warning said that a storm from cloud and rain would save the clan when it was in great need. Stormpaw, that storm is you. I realized it when you had saved the clan from the fire. You are also the kit of Rainberry and and Cloudsnow. No other cat must know," she said, her mew growing hoarse and quiet. With one last shuddering breath, Ivystar lost her last life.


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Whiteflame looked hollow with shock.

"Ivystar?" he whispered, gently shaking her.

Stormpaw was looking down at her paws. She lifted her head and mewed in a very quiet voice, "She's dead, Whiteflame. I couldn't save her."

"It's not your fault she was already the oldest cat in the clan. It was bound to happen. Now, it is my turn to lead the clan. We have to get the clan on this side of the log. Stormpaw!"

Stormpaw was still trying to get this around her head. She felt dizzy and tired, and her lungs hurt. Already numb with shock, she collapsed and blacked out.

"Stormpaw….. up….clan…..fire." Stormpaw jerked awake when she heard 'fire'.

"Stormpaw!" Briarpaw squeaked. "You're okay!"

"Ugh, what happened?" Stormpaw asked, still dizzy and confused.

"Whiteflame said that you just collapsed. Leafshade carried you to somewhere safe while Whiteflame went back and got the rest of the clan to safety," Brindlepaw meowed, popping up behind her sister.

"Whiteflame?" Stormpaw said, coughing.

"Don't tell me you don't know who Whiteflame is," Briarpaw exclaimed, a worried look on her face.

"Of course I remember who Whiteflame is!" Stormpaw hissed, not believing that they thought she had forgotten the Thunderclan deputy, _except, he's not deputy anymore_, she thought in her head.

"Then why did you ask?" Briarpaw asked, now looking very confused.

"Because, he's not White_flame_, at least not any more, or at least, he shouldn't be," Stormpaw replied.

"What do you mean he's not White_flame_?" Brindlepaw asked, clearly not getting the point.

"I _mean_, he's the leader now, Ivystar died last night," Stormpaw explained, and was shocked to see that they weren't surprised, but worried.

"Umm, Stormpaw," Brindlepaw began.

"What?" Stormpaw asked.

"You weren't out all night," Briarpaw mewed.

"You were out for _three days_!" Brindlepaw told her.

Stormpaw stared at her. After a long silence, the sisters began to regret saying anything to her. Then she spoke.

"I was unconscious for _THREE DAYS?!"_ she yowled, completely shocked.

"Um, yes," Brindlepaw whispered, a little scared at how she had reacted.

"I told you not to tell her yet!" Briarpaw hissed to her sister.

Though she wasn't supposed to hear, Stormpaw heard them whispering.

"It's okay. I'm glad that you told me. Still if you knew, then why is Whiteflame _still _Whiteflame?" she asked.

"Leafshade told him to go, but he refused to until he knew that you were alright," Tallpaw answered, having just walked into the apprentice's den.

"But now we know that you're okay, so we should tell him that," Briarpaw commented.

"Oh, right," Stormpaw meowed, shaking herself out of her thoughts.

As she left the den, Tallpaw walked up beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.

"You made everyone really worried, especially since Ivystar just uh, well, you know," he said a feeling a little awkward.

They walked side by side until they found the Thunderclan deputy hunting near the Moss Trees.

"Whiteflame!" Stormpaw called to him.

Whiteflame jumped. He clearly had not detected their approach.

"Don't do that!" he hissed, his fur fluffed up.

"Is there something I should know about in the camp he asked, looking at Tallpaw.

"Um…" Stormpaw began, but Whiteflame had already seen her.

"Oh, I see," he mewed. "Well, looks like we have a long journey ahead of us, then," he yawned, stretching.

"We?" asked Stormpaw.

"Yes, we. You're coming with me on the journey to Starstream."

"Is anyone else going to be there?" Stormpaw asked, a little uncomfortable at the thought of just her and the deputy.

"Well Leafshade, of course," he chuckled, seeing that she had forgotten about the medicine cat at the moment.

"Of course. I meayn any other warriors or apprentices?" Stormpaw asked.

"Maybe, haven't thought about it that much," he replied.

"What about her sisters? They haven't made the journey yet either," Tallpaw commented.

"I suppose. I'll consider that. I'm going to go talk to Leafshade," Whiteflame said.

After Whiteflame left, Stormpaw looked at Tallpaw.

"Why did you do that?" Stormpaw asked, a curious glint in her eyes.

"Do what?" Tallpaw meowed.

"Save me from what could have been an awkward situation," Stormpaw answered.

"I don't like intruding on awkward situations that have absolutely nothing to do with me," he teased.

"Good one, but why did you really save me from an awkward situation?" she questioned, now serious.

"You're my friend. It's what friends do," he replied.

"We should get back to camp," Stormpaw meowed.

"I ag-" Tallpaw began.

"Shh!" she hissed.

"What?" he whispered back.

"Listen!" she replied.

Stormpaw tasted the air.

"Foxdung! Not now! Of all times, why now?" Stormpaw cursed under her breath.

"What shouldn't be right now?" Tallpaw asked, looking very confused.

"Shadowclan is attacking," Stormpaw muttered to him.

Sorry if you are mad about the cliff-hanger, but I will post another chapter as soon I can.


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Come on! We have to tell the clan!" Tallpaw hissed.

"Follow me!" Stormpaw muttered to him. She started to go into the undergrowth of the forest when she heard Tallpaw.

"What are you doing?" Tallpaw hissed.

"What use is the warning if we don't know how many cats will be attacking us?" she hissed back.

"Just come with me! It's too dangerous to find out, and we're wasting time by staying here and arguing" he begged.

"Fine" she mewed, a little reluctantly.

They raced back to camp side by the entrance to the ravine in the forest was in sight, they paused and made sure they weren't being followed.

Stormpaw went in to the camp first. She waited for Tallpaw, then went to find Whiteflame, Tallpaw close behind her.

Stormpaw found Whiteflame in the Medicine Cat's den with Leafshade.

"Whiteflame! I need to talk to you," she meowed, catching his attention.

"Stormpaw! Well perfect timing. Stormpaw we're going to the Starstream," Whiteflame meowed back, a mixture of emotions in his eyes.

"What? Now?" Stormpaw practically screamed.

"What's the matter? You don't seem very excited," he commented.

"Of course I'm not excited! Shadowclan is going to attack!" she shrieked.

"You're kidding right?" he meowed. Stormpaw thought she could hear disbelief in his voice.

"Why would I joke about this?" she hissed.

He raced out of the den.

"Thunderclan!" he yowled, " Shadowclan is attacking!" Even as he spoke, dark pelted cats poured through the entrance.

"Shadowclan, attack" howled a familiar voice. They immediately leaped into battle, eager for a fight.

In the middle of the clearing, deputy stalked deputy.

"Hollyheart!" Whiteflame growled, anger in his voice.

"Hello again, Whiteflame," Hollyheart hissed.

"Why are you attacking us? And shall I mention that this is the second time you have attacked us?" he asked.

"Why certainly. Several moons ago, two of our kits went missing. Thunderclan scent was all over the rocks where they were last seen. They haven't been seen since. You have stolen two of our kits. Now you will pay!" She leaped at him as she said this.

"You have no proof!" he hissed as she pinned him.

"We don't need any more proof, thief!" she hissed. Whiteflame clawed her and leaped up, filled with rage. Hollyheart went flying.

"We never took your kits!" he spat. Suddenly, he felt claws in his flank. He turned to get rid of the cat clawing him. As he did so, Hollyheart leaped on him and bit into his throat.

For Whiteflame, everything went dark as blood poured from the wound.

Dewfoot stared in horror as he relived the night that he had nearly been killed. Rage pulsed through him. So many cats had died at Shadowclan's paws already. It was as if the Warrior Code didn't exist for them.

_If I ever become leader, I'll make sure that no cat has ever suffered the way I have. We will be free! _But he wasn't leader, so he had to fight.

He fought like ten cats. _Swipe, duck, bite, lunge._ It was as if this was the moment he was born for.

Suddenly he heard one of his clanmats shriek.

"Sunspeck!" he yowed, racing over to where she stood. He gasped in horror at what he saw there.

Rosewhisker was lying on her side, bloodseeping through her fur from a bite on her throat, her eyes clouded.

He nudged her.

"Rosewhisker? Get up," he whispered to her, unable to think that she was dead. When his mother died, Rosewhisker had looked after him and his littermates.

"This is the second time you have brought death to our clan. We do not have your kits. Go!" Dewfoot snarled, his voice low and menacing.

"Fine. If you have our kits, it's war," she snapped, turning to leave.

After they left, Whiteflame, having just woken up since he had been treated and didn't have cats all over him, called for Leafyfoot and his apprentice to hunt down the Shadowclan cats and make sure they crossed back over the border. He also called for Mistystorm, Thunderjaw, Smallflame, Bluepaw, Birchpaw, and Oakpaw to go with them.

He than called for Stormpaw, Hollypaw, and Leafshade.

"I have to go to the Starstream to get my lives _now! _Before there are any more casualties," he meowed.

"He's right. He can't perform any ceremonies until he has the blessing of Starclan, and I don't doubt that he will. Besides, The longer we wait, the more likely the chance of something happens to him and we are left leaderless," Leafshade agreed.

"And we won't have a deputy," Hollypaw mewed.

"Well then, traveling herbs, I suppose will be needed," Stormpaw mewed.

"I'll see to it at once," Hollypaw mewed, already heading back towards the Medicine Cat den.

"I'll treat the wounded cats," Leafshade said. With that, both Medicine Cats took off toward the privacy of the den. Whiteflame and Stormpaw thought the exact same thing when the they looked at each other.

"What do _we _do?" Stormpaw asked out loud, the thing they were both thinking.

"Rest, I suppose. Wait till they're done. No point in going without the Medicine Cats," he replied, yawning.


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Stormpaw was disturbed from her sleep by a quiet mew.

"Time to wake up, sleepy head." It was Tallpaw.

"What are you doing?" Stormpaw asked, still groggy.

"Whiteflame wants you. You're going to make the journey to the Starstream," Tallpaw responded. Stormpaw was awake at once when she heard this.

"Go to the Medicine Cat den to get your traveling herbs first, though," he reminded her.

Stormpaw wasted no time in gulping down the herbs, then regretted it. She pulled a face and gagged at the strong, bitter taste.

Just then, Whiteflame came in, and saw the look on her face.

"Are you okay? You look like you just swallowed fox dung," he mewed.

"Yeah. Ate the herbs too quickly," Stormpaw mewed, relieved that the bitter taste was fading, and embarrassed that she didn't have more sense.

"In that case, of we go," Whiteflame mewed, chuckling at Stormpaw's apparent enthusiasm.

At the border with Shadowclan, Whiteflame paused, clearly reluctant to enter the pine forests that now surrounded them.

"Well, what's the hold up?" Leafshade asked, clearly getting impatient as he didn't move.

"Shadowclan has just caused so many of our troubles," he muttered, seeming to talk to himself, rather than anyone with him at the moment.

"Wait!" Hollypaw hissed, nose in the air.

"Sha-" Stormpaw began, and was cut off by five cats circling them.

"Who are you and what are you doing on our land?" asked a brown tabby, a gray tom and a white tom with two apprentices with him.

"I am Whiteflame. I am traveling to the Starstream. The warrior code says that all cats traveling to the Starstream may pass without conflict," Whiteflame mewed in a cool tone, not showing any intimidation as the cats circling them unsheathed their claws.

"You gave up that right when you stole our kits! It's against the Warrior Code," the white tom hissed.

"Really? I thought that you finally understood that _we don't have your kits!_ As for the Warrior Code, _you're_ not following it by not letting us pass!" Stormpaw hissed back, her tone sharp enough to make them flinch.

"Oh yeah? Then where are they?" the gray tom challenged.

"How are we supposed to know if we don't have them?" Leafshade hissed, clearly getting impatient with the argumentative toms.

"I-" he started, unable to think of a good reason.

"Fine. We won't attack, but we're still not letting you pass," they agreed.

Hollypaw's mouth hung open.

"What reason do you have to keep us from going if we didn't steal your kits?" she practically shrieked.

All five Shadowclan cats looked at each other, each clearly hoping that the other would think of something to say.

Finally, the bigger of the two apprentices spoke up.

"If you leave now, you won't get hurt," he meowed, uncomfortable at the awkward situation.

"Idiot!" the other apprentice hissed at him. Stormpaw almost burst out laughing.

"What he means is, get out NOW if you want to keep your pelts on!" she yowled, having been more aggressive than the tom.

"Fine! We're going! Yell a little louder! I don't think they heard you in Twoleg Place!" Whiteflame snapped, turning to go.

When they left the Shadowclan pines, Leafshade broke the silence that had settled around the traveling cats.

"Now how are you going to receive you nine lives?" she asked.

"We go the long way around," Whiteflame sighed.

"I hope you don't mean tonight, because by the time you would get there, it would already be about sunhigh," Leafshade guessed.

"Foxdung! I didn't think of that," he admitted.

"We could go after the Gathering," Stormpaw suggested.

"What!?" Whiteflame asked, so sharply that Stormpaw regretted saying it.

"It's in two days," I don't think that there is any way we will be able to get there before then," she commented.

He looked shocked, as if he had only just realised how light it was outside.

"What am I going to tell the other clans!" he groaned.

"Whatever you wish to tell them," Leafshade mewed.

"I know _that!_ I meant, how do I say it without looking weak!" he replied, stressed.

"Whiteflame, I don't think that _that_ is what you should be worried about.I would be worried about what we tell the _clan_," Stormpaw pointed out.

**Please, if you read my story, please review. I know I said please twice, but it makes me really sad that almost nobody has reviewed my story. :(**


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Whiteflame looked stressed. He was pacing back and forth, a worried look on his face. Finally, he sighed, and looked at them.

"I decided to leave now," he meowed.

"What about the clan?" Leafshade asked.

"I believe that Thunderclan will be safe while I am gone," he muttered.

"While _you_ are gone?" Leafshade asked, a curious look in her eyes.

"Yes. I am going alone," he decided.

"Are you sure? No leader has ever received their nine lives without a Medicine Cat," Leafshade warned.

"Yes!" he growled, getting irritated.

"What happens if you run into a patrol while you're on the other clan's territory _without_ a Medicine Cat? How are you going to explain that?" she hissed, trying to convince him it was too dangerous to go alone.

"Fine. If you're so worried, just come with me," he muttered.

"Fair enough. Let's get moving." She sounded very pleased at winning the argument. Not many cats dared to argue, let alone win the argument.

"What about us?" Hollypaw called after them as they walked away.

"Go back to the clan!" he called after them.

"What!? I came here for nothing? If I did, I'm not moving. Not an inch!" Stormpaw hissed, very mad that he had sent them home.

"Alright. You are going home. What happens if you get sick? You weren't trained to heal. Besides, you _are_ on the other side of the border," Hollypaw pointed out.

Stormpaw grumbled something very unpleasant about Shadowclan and shuffled back to the Thunderclan side of the border.

"_Now,_ I am not moving an inch," Stormpaw clarified.

"All right. Suit yourself so you can rot alone in the rain," Hollypaw teased, taking off after the other Medicine Cat.

"Wait! We should tell the clan! They'll be worried if we don't show up at dawn!" Stormpaw yowled after her.

Hollypaw kept running, apparently not hearing her.

"Starclan forbid what I'm about to do," Stormpaw sighed, dashing after her sister.

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while! I also apologize about the short chapter, still, hope you like it!**


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